Here We Stand
by roxylover330
Summary: It's been a year since Emma was diagnosed as an anorexic, and Peter has been by her side through it all. This is a story of their life during the summer before college..R&R, flames appreciated
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Degrassi.

**A/N:** Just so everyone knows, I'm not 100 percent sure where I'm going with this. I have the first 2 chapters up and I'm almost done with a third, but I'm not quite sure how often I'll post this. Any suggestions, except for that Emma should be with Sean, are accepted, as well as constructive criticism on my writing and grammar. Also, please don't tell me that my characters are OOC, I know that, and I know the situations may be a little unrealistic for you, but Emma and Peter have been going out for a year during this story, so some of these situations really aren't that shocking, to me at least.

_Sure as the sky is blue, baby, I love you._

**-Martina McBride, I Love You**

Emma Nelson awoke with a pleasant smile on her face and a warm body laying next to her. It had been a year since she was first diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, and she had slowly begun to conquer the disease with massive amounts of help, support, and love from the four most important people in her life- her stepfather, Snake, her mother, Spike, her best friend, Manny, and, finally, her boyfriend of one year, Peter Stone.

Life could not be better for her, she thought, as she slowly got out of bed, careful not to wake Peter, and walked to her closet, with a spring in her step that was obvious to anyone who saw her these days, and today was no different. She had officially graduated from Degrassi High School the day before, the school that held so many memories for her, both good and bad, and Spike and Snake had planned a graduation party for Emma, Peter, and Manny today.

Emma opened her closet and, after careful consideration, chose her outfit for the day- white capri pants, a pink halter top, and matching pink flip flops. She walked over to her vanity and began to curl her hair into loose, romantic waves, applied a thin coat of black mascara to her eyelashes, and swept on a coat of a sheer, shiny pink lip gloss. As she was applying her makeup, Emma heard a slight rustle and knew that Peter had finally waken from his sleep

"Good morning, sleepyhead. I'm glad to see you finally decided to join the rest of us." Emma said, with a gentile, genuine smile she reserved only for Peter.

"And how is my favorite person this morning?" he questioned, smiling, as he got up and walked over to where Emma had been sitting, and following to wrap his arms around her into a loving embrace, followed by a short, sweet kiss.

"You have to get ready for our party. It's 11:00 now, and the party is at 12." Emma told him, as he walked away to grab a pair of jeans and a green polo shirt he had packed into a suitcase the night before.

"I'm already ahead of you." he joked, as he walked to the adjacent bathroom to prepare for the day ahead of them.

"I'm going to go upstairs and grab a bite for breakfast. Meet me when you're done!" she called, and, as she made her way up the stairs, she thought of just how lucky she was to have found Peter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Degrassi.

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone,_

_I'm gonna hold you closer than before,_

_and when I kiss your soul, your body will be free._

**-Gavin DeGraw, More Than Anyone**

The time had come for the party and the backyard of the Simpson-Nelson household was filled with family and friends of the new graduates. After they had greeted everyone, Emma and Peter went and sat in empty lawn chairs underneath a tree and ate some lunch.

"I'm glad to see you eating again." Peter told Emma, solemnly and sincerely. Emma smiled shyly and looked back down at her food, which she had barely touched. Peter noticed this and immediately regretted what he said.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, it's alright, it's not that. I'm just worried, I guess." She replied at long last, finally realizing that Peter should know what had been on her mind all day.

"What about?" he asked, fearing the worst.

"My mom invited Sean to the party, that's all. She saw Tracker in the store and invited them, but I don't want to see him. I know he still loves me, but I don't feel the same way about him that I used to, and I don't want to give him false hope that something could happen again."

"I'm here, Em, I'm not going to lose you, I promise."

"It's not him I'm worried about, it's me. I'm afraid that if I see him, I'll think of last year, and last year was just horrible for me for the most part."

As those words left her mouth, she spotted a familiar skull cap in a crowd, walking closer to Emma and Peter until he was about three feet away.

"Hey Emma, Congratulations!" Sean said, happy to finally see her again.

"Hi, Sean." Emma said bluntly, as she got up to give him an awkward hug, and then hurriedly sat down and grabbed Peter's hand to hold for support.

"Sean, this is my boyfriend, Peter." Emma finally said, gazing at Peter lovingly while she did so. Peter quickly released Emma's hand to shake Sean's, and returned his hand to Emma's.

"I'm sorry for saying this Emma, but, you look really thin. Is there something wrong?" Sean asked Emma with concern in his voice.

"Well, if you were around for the past year, you would know I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, but you weren't. Peter was. And I love him, not you. Peter, let's go, I'm not in the mood to sit outside anymore." Emma announced, with anger and hurt in her voice, fighting the urge to cry. She got up with Peter and walked toward the house, hand in hand. After they had gotten inside the kitchen, Emma turned to Peter and began to release the tears she had been holding back.

"He's so ignorant! I can't stand it!"

"Maybe he didn't mean it that way, Em." Peter said, trying to sooth his sobbing girlfriend.

"Peter, yes he did. He's like every other guy in the world. They act worried about me but all they want is for me to sleep with them. Ever since the ravine, it's been like that. I hate feeling like every guy is using me!" Emma sobbed.

"I don't think like that, Emma, you know that. I love you for who you are. I love you for being this strong, supportive, amazing, beautiful, and creative girl, I'm not every other guy, I promise." he said, soothing her and holding her in a strong embrace and allowing her to cry on his shoulder as he stroked her long, soft, blonde hair.

"I know, and that's why I love you so much, and that's why I never want to lose you." she told him, and her tears began to subside. Looking up into his brilliant blue eyes, she kissed him with every ounce of passion, energy, and love she possessed.

"Will anyone miss us if we're not at the party for a few hours?" She asked slyly, with a secret smile spreading across her face. Emma didn't need a verbal answer from Peter, she saw everything she needed to in his eyes, and, with that, she took his hand in hers and led him down the stairs leading to her bedroom, locking the door behind them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Degrassi

**A/N: **I've gotten 1 comment on this story, and I thought it was the best of the stories I've written. If it sucks, would someone please tell me? I had my friends read it, and they said it was good, but now I'm kind of doubting it..

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,_

_and I don't want to go home right now._

_**-Iris, Goo Goo Dolls**_

The two had awaken to the sound of pounding on the door and Manny's screaming voice. They quickly put their clothes back on, forgotten scattered on the floor until that moment.

"Emma! Peter! I need to get something! Unlock the door now!" Manny called, clearly agitated.

"One second, Manny!" Emma hurriedly called as she ran up the stairs to unlock the door. As soon as she opened the door and Manny had a peek at the room, she burst out laughing. Expressions of anxiety came across the faces of both Peter and Emma and, upon seeing these, Manny told them the truth.

"Do you want to know the truth?" Manny asked plainly. She was responded by a unanimous nodding of heads by both Emma and Peter. "You can tell you two just had sex and woke up." Manny said, almost unfazed, as she proceeded to retrieve her purse. "Oh, Emma, by the way, I think Spike knows your missing from the party. She asked me where you were 5 minutes ago or something, but I told her you were on a walk with Peter and you said you would be home soon."

Emma sighed with relief that she hadn't been caught and started to walk over to her vanity to freshen up her appearance quickly as Peter did the same. Within minutes, the couple were sneaking out of the window in Emma's room, attempting to make Manny's claim seem realistic. When they walked back to the party, Emma was greeted by a kind, caring, friendly, and familiar voice.

"Emma!" Craig called, "Congratulations!" Emma smiled genuinely at her old friend and gave Craig a warm and friendly embrace.

"Thanks, Craig! How's Vancouver treating you?"

"It's amazing, but I'm so glad to be home and see everyone, I sort of missed Degrassi." Craig admitted, as he pulled Emma away from Peter for a minute

"Hey Emma, what did I miss when I was gone? You and Peter...are going out?" Emma laughed at Craig's comment, clearly remembering Peter as the kid who filmed the video of his drunk girlfriend flashing a camera.

"Yes Craig, I'm going out with Peter. But he's changed, it's alright." Emma reassured Craig, as she walked back over to Peter. With that, Emma and Peter walked away to greet other guests who had arrived to the party during their absence and, much to Emma's dismay, Sean was still at the party, now accompanied by an old friend of his Emma had hoped to never see again.

"Get out of here, Jay." Peter warned, furious to see the boy who had used Emma the previous year.

"What are you going to do about it?" Jay responded, not afraid of Peter, but rolling up the sleeves of his waterproof jacket and preparing to fight the boy. Seeing how upset Peter was getting, and knowing what Jay was capable of, Emma pleaded with Peter to stop.

"Peter, he's not worth it." She begged, trying to drag him away but failing.

"Go back to where you belong, Jay! Go back to your ravine sluts and leave Emma alone!" Peter threatened. To Jay, this threat almost seemed like a joke, and he laughed at it for a second, before sending a blow to Peter's eye with his right fist. Before long, both Jay and Sean had ganged up on Peter and, within minutes of that, Peter was on the ground, blood oozing from his nose and from various other cuts on his face, and laying unconscious, with Emma laying by his side, beginning to cry.

"Someone, he needs to get to a hospital!" she cried, to no one in particular, and, as party guests started rushing to the scene to see what happened, she laid her head on her unconscious boyfriend's chest, sobbing and praying, while holding his head in her free hand.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Degrassi

_Even if you cannot hear my voice,_

_I'll be right beside you, dear._

**-Run, Snow Patrol**

Peter awoke a few hours later, feeling a soft, gentle hand holding onto his.

"Emma?" he asked, feeling a sharp jolt of pain in his right eye as he tried to open it.

"Peter! You're awake!" She cried, overjoyed.

"What happened?"

"Sean and Jay beat you up. Badly. You have two broken ribs, a fractured knuckle, your nose is broken, and a bad black eye on your right eye, it's swollen shut, Peter."

Laughing, Peter replied, "They got me good, didn't they?"

"Yes, they did. Your mom wants to press charges against them, but it's your decision."

"I want to, but I fought back, so I don't know if I can."

"Well, you didn't land them in a hospital bed, Peter!"

"Emma, calm down, I'm fine. I'm here, I'm alive aren't I?"

"Well you are, but you're not fine! You could have been killed, Peter! Killed! And then where would I be? Alone. And then Sean and Jay's plan to ruin my life would be complete, Peter! Is that what you want?"

"Emma! Calm down! I'm here, aren't I? You're overreacting again, and I can't take your drama right now!"

"Well, then maybe I should leave!"

"Maybe you should!"

"Maybe I will!" Emma huffed, and with that, she left Peter's hospital room, purposely slamming the door behind her, angry and frustrated.

The next morning, Emma awoke and remembered the fight she had with Peter the previous night. Feeling guilty, she threw her hair into a sloppy bun and slipped on a pair of jeans and a plain blue t-shirt with blue sneakers. Realizing it was a little chilly this early, she threw on Peter's sweatshirt she had taken from him when they first began going out. She then proceeded to head out to her black Jetta and closed the door, preparing to drive to the hospital and visit her boyfriend.

When her legs finally carried her to Peter's room, she gently knocked and cautiously entered Peter's room. Seeing Peter was asleep, she sat in the seat positioned next to his bed, and gently held his hand. Minutes after she did this, he awoke and squeezed her hand, smiling softly and kindly.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I never should have said that, Peter. You were in the hospital from Sean and Jay and, and, and I just got carried away and I was scared and nervous and afraid..." Emma babbled at Peter, with an understanding look in his eyes.

"It's okay. You're scared and worried. I know that."

Emma smiled softly at Peter, and, very gently and tenderly, she kissed him, with as much love as she held in her body. When they broke apart, she stared into his blue eyes and laid her head next to his on his pillow, their hands still intertwined, face to face, noses touching.

"I love you so much, Peter. I never want to lose you, ever. You have been such an amazing influence on me and you make me feel so alive. I don't want to lose that feeling, Peter."

"You'll never lose me, Em. I love you too much to let that happen." he said, as he untangled their hands and reached up to stroke his fingers through her hair.

"Peter, when you get out of here, will you go with me to one of my therapy sessions? I want you to hear everything, because I've been keeping some details from you."

"I thought that we said no secrets."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't say these things, until now. I have the courage to now,"

"Well then, in that case, I'd love to go. But from this point on, no more secrets."

"I promise, but after you go, there will be no more secrets left to tell." Emma smiled, and kissed him lightly before staring into his eyes and falling asleep next to him.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Wow! I'm sorry everyone! I completely forgot about this story, but here it is, the long overdue fifth chapter of Here We Stand!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Degrassi.

_Hands, like secrets, are the hardest things to keep from you._

**Dismantle. Repair. By Anberlin**

It had been a long week, but Friday had finally come, and Emma rushed from the halls of Degrassi to her car. Today was the day that Peter was finally getting out of the hospital, and she was beyond anxious to see him outside of that—place. Yes, place was the only way she could describe the hospital. She hated it with every fiber of her being and it scared her to be there—even if being in the presence of Peter calmed her nerves slightly. She arrived at his house to see no one home yet_. 'Perfect,'_ she though, _'now I can decorate a little.' _

Two hours, a bag of balloons, two rolls of streamers, and a large, homemade, sign later, Emma heard a car pull to the front of the house and a door close. She turned off the lights in the house and waited for Peter to enter. Anxious, she watched as the lock moved, the door creak open, and the light switch flicker on.

"Surprise!" she yelled to a startled Peter and Mrs. Hatzilakos.

Peter ran over to his girlfriend and hugged her lightly and kissed her on her nose.

"Thank you. It means a lot." He smiled, looking into her blue eyes.

"Well, now that that's over, you need your rest, mister. Go lay on the couch, we're going to watch some movies! I'm going to get some popcorn and sodas."

Peter groaned, knowing what movies were in store, but smiled a little, knowing that he would finally have quality time with Emma away from the fluorescent lights and the uncomfortable hospital beds. Emma returned shortly after and put her favorite DVD into the DVD player and The Notebook began to play, its soft music, relaxing music the only sounds heard.

An hour and a half later, the credits were rolling, and Emma was sleeping soundly with her head on Peter's chest and her fingers laced in his. Not wanting to wake her, he placed a soft, sweet kiss on her temple and began to stroke her hair. Shortly after, she began to stir.

"Nice of you to wake up again, sleepy head." Peter said, and Emma smiled lightly.

"I was tired from all the decorating. And I missed the feeling of sleeping next to you." Peter smiled and kissed Emma lovingly.

"Not to ruin the moment or anything, baby, but when is your next therapy session? I didn't forget."

"I didn't think you would. And tomorrow afternoon at 3:00. But you need to promise me that you won't get mad or judge me differently when you find everything out."

"You didn't judge me differently, even after the Manny thing. I promise I won't, and if I do, remind me of that. I don't want us to get into a dumb fight and break up over a few secrets."

"Okay, I'll pick you up tomorrow at 2:30 then. I'm going to go home now and go to bed, though. It's getting late."

"Alright, goodnight, sweetheart. I love you."

"Love you, too."

And with that, Emma left, with a goofy smile on her face that only Peter had the power to give her. She loved him, and hoped that no matter what happened, they would be together forever.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I decided to finally update since I'm severely missing any stories with Peter in them lately..what's with that!? He's probably my new favorite male character! And although it's no more and Emma is back with Sean, Emma/Peter will forever be my favorite pairing. So without further ado, here's chapter 6 of Here We Stand!

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Degrassi, with the exception of Dr. Sloane—he's sort of Grey's Anatomy, but I changed up his field a little!

_Share with me the secrets that you've kept in,_

_because it's cold inside._

**-Vulnerable, Secondhand Serenade**

Emma awoke grudgingly to the sound of her alarm clock buzzing, realizing what the day was and what this day would bring. She was scared of Peter's reactions to what he would hear, and she was also scared if she would shock herself. She knew she had changed tremendously since those days—it seemed like a completely different person at times, but sometimes, if she really looked, she still saw herself in that person. Whenever she saw these images of herself, she cried. Emma no longer wanted to be that person. She was in love; she didn't need any of that.

Twenty minutes had passed before Emma's eyes before she slipped out of her warm, comfortable bed silently. It was 8:20 in the morning, and the last thing that she wanted to do right now was wake up the sleeping figure of Emma's best friend, Manny. Already clothed in jogging shorts and a tank top, Emma slipped into a pair of tennis shoes and walked up the stairs for her morning run.

"Morning, mom." Emma said, giving her mom a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbing an energy bar before running out the door, feeling the cool breeze hit her face. It was times like these that Emma was so glad to be alive—she always did her best thinking this early and in this early morning dewy weather. Running gave her a freedom nothing else she ever experienced could, and this time she wasn't running to lose weight. She did it to stay fit and for the joy of it. She limited herself to a mile a day—a reasonable amount, without over doing it. Sometimes, she would run by Peter's house, and he would join her on the second half of her run, escorting her home. These were her favorite times. They were together, but not a word needed to be said. They were in sync, and anytime Emma thought of these secret times, she found herself with a goofy smile on her face. As she approached Peter's house, these were the exact thoughts going through her head.

"What's the smile for, darling?" Peter smiled, excited to see his girlfriend.

"You, silly. You know, these are my favorite times. When we run."

"I love them, too. But not as much as I love you." Peter said, before kissing her good morning quickly, and beginning his run, Emma alongside.

Peter enjoyed these times, although he hated the running. He would much prefer that they took a nice walk, but Emma loved the energy, and he would do anything to make her happy. He couldn't believe how lucky he had gotten to have a girl like Emma—smart, charismatic, beautiful, caring, compassionate—he could go on and on with adjectives describing her, but in his mind, one word said it all—perfect. He looked over at her, the glistening sweat on her forehead, the determination in her eyes, her rapid breathing—even like this, he found her the most stunning girl on the earth. 'Sean doesn't know what he's missing.' Peter thought, before focusing on the path ahead and enjoying the little remaining time of their run he had left.

Before they knew it, the pair had arrived back at Emma's house, sitting on her front stoop, ice cold bottles of water in their hands.

"I should get going and shower before this afternoon. It's almost 11:00 now." Peter said, slowly getting up, and offering a hand to help up his girlfriend.  
"Okay. I guess I should too. I'm still nervous though." Emma confided, knowing he would never tell.

"I know you are. I don't need to go if you're not ready for this, Em. I can wait. We have all the time in the world, and no matter what happens, I want you to know that it won't break us up. Yes, I might be upset, hurt, maybe a little angry—but I will never break up with you over it. Please look me in the eyes and know that I mean every word I say when I tell you that I love you, and that even though it might scare you right now to hear it, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Em. You're absolutely my everything." Peter said, shocking himself with what he said. Emma was in tears at her boyfriend's speech, realizing how much he truly loved her, and realizing once again how lucky she was.

"I need to go before I cry even more," she laughed. Seeing him smile at her, she knew how lucky she was. "I'll see you later. Thank you for that. I love you." With that, she kissed him with all the passion in her body, hoping to show him in any way she could how much she meant that last phrase.

"I love you, too. See you soon sweetheart." He smiled, reluctantly walking away.

The time passed quickly, and before Emma knew it, it was 2:15. She had been ready to go for close to an hour, but she was absorbed in her new book and the amazing weather. She had been sitting on the swing on her front porch, drinking lemonade, and taking in the sun's rays and the beautiful aroma of the fresh lilacs around her porch. Emma had opted for an outfit she knew was one of Peter's favorites—white Capri pants and a pink tank top with rhinestones he had bought. She remembered the day he bought it like it was yesterday—it was when they first started going out. They had gone into a store because they had seen Manny and were afraid that she would see them. When they went in, however, Emma saw the top and fell in love with it instantly. It was beautiful, but entirely out of her price range at $30.00. Peter, however, saw the glimmer in her eyes, and told her to meet him outside, claiming that it would be better if they left the store alone. A few minutes later, he emerged from the store, bag in hand, and he handed it to her with a smile on his face. This was the moment she knew she loved him.

Smiling at this thought, she walked over to her Jetta, and turning on the air and music, she began the drive over, smiling as she realized what song was playing—Time and Confusion by Anberlin—Peter's favorite band, and also their song. The lyrics were so true and she loved it. Honking, Peter came over to the car and, after kissing Emma quickly, they were on their way.

Quicker than she would have liked, Emma and Peter reached the psychologist's office, just on time for Emma's appointment. The receptionist told her she could go right in, and she walked into the familiar office—elegant and dark, with the rich mahogany desk, the deep maroon leather chairs that you melted in, and the rich oak wood paneling. Dr. Sloane, Emma's therapist, was a handsome man in his early to mid thirties. At first glance, he seemed harsh, but upon talking to him, you realized he was a kind man. Greeting Emma with a warm smile, he motioned for her and Peter to sit down in the two leather seats across from his desk, positioned close enough for Peter to lend a calming hand if needed.

"So Emma, this must be the Peter you have told me so much about. Emma has said lots of things about you, Peter." Dr Sloane began. Peter chuckled a little.

"I hope only good things." He said, looking over at Emma with a glimmer in his eyes.

"Well, I don't mean to spoil the mood in here, but Emma, I think you should begin. You only scheduled a half hour appointment, but I penciled you in for an hour—I know you love to talk." Dr. Sloane chuckled, throwing Emma a teasing wink. Emma laughed at his remark—she loved how down to earth Dr. Sloane was, and how she felt comfortable talking to him—he never judged her.

"Okay," Emma breathed in deeply, prepared for the task at hand. "First things first, please don't interrupt me until I'm done. But don't say anything now either, because I might get afraid and chicken out if you do." She rushed the last part, making sure that she was understood.

"It began after the shooting—when I went to Wasaga with Sean, Ellie, and Jay. I still had feelings for Sean a little, and I wanted to say goodbye. I knew he was going to stay—that's the kind of guy Sean was, and I knew the second that he said Wasaga that everything would be different from that moment on.

"Then we got back, and I didn't know what to do with myself. I tried to join the play and keep my mind occupied so I didn't think of anything—not Sean, not the shooting, nothing. That's when Jay started noticing me and talking to me. He invited me to the ravine, and I thought that going down there would be a good idea at the time. The first time I went down, I was disgusted. But then I kept going down—every night, and not getting into my house until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. At first, I would just go down to get bracelets—doing sexual favors for Jay, and occasionally this other guy I got to know, Kevin.

"Kevin's the one that got me into other things, though. It was no longer just a thrill to give Jay and Kevin head, I wanted more. So I started drinking—casually at first, a beer once in a while, but then it got a little worse—I'd be drinking three or four shots of vodka a night, and then a beer or two on top of that. I never got to the point where I became an alcoholic though, because I got afraid of what could happen and I quit. Around that time, I began to get bored, but it was the only thing that I still had—my friends were turning on me, and I didn't know where else to go. Jay's the one who introduced me to weed. It made me feel free and relaxed, and took away all my worries for a while. But I started to get afraid of that, too. I didn't want to become an addict—I had heard too many horror stories. So I stopped and I quit going to the ravine. Jay and Kevin would call me from time to time wondering what happened to me, but I would never answer, and then they just stopped calling.

"I was so disgusted with myself at that time. I felt hollow and empty—a shell of who I used to be. That's when Manny and I first saw Peter. I instantly found him the type of guy I could like, but I was so afraid to become close to anyone because I thought everyone would be like Jay or Kevin and only want one thing. I remember the party, and Manny going off with Peter. I was so jealous, but I didn't let it phase me. Then he hurt Manny, and we wanted revenge. I went over to make out with him, and get a picture of him topless—our little foolish revenge plot. But when I saw how helpless he looked, I started to do something I told myself I wouldn't—I fell for him." Emma smiled a little, finishing this thought, crying, but not wanting to go any further. She looked over at Peter, and saw tears in his eyes. She went to grab his hand and squeezed it, herself starting to sob, but continuing.

"From then on, everyone knows what happened. Peter was in my life, so I don't feel the need to say the rest and relive it. I was completely honest with him from the moment I fell for him. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She sobbed. Peter stood up and walked to Emma's chair, pulling her up into the tightest hug he could muster. He felt so sorry for his girlfriend, and all he wanted to do was comfort her. He knew about Jay and Kevin, but she had no idea how bad it had gotten. He was not mad at her, no, not at all. He cried though, because he was so upset that someone that appeared that strong could go through that much, and yet still feel so weak. He put his fingers through her hair, and whispered in her ear that everything would be okay, and assuring her that he loved her no matter what.

"Emma, I think that's enough for today," Dr. Sloane interrupted, "But I don't think you should drive home. Peter, would you mind driving her home?"

"That's no problem, Dr." Peter said, putting an arm around Emma's shoulder and escorting her out of Dr. Sloane's office. He opened up the passenger door and helped his still sobbing girlfriend into the seat, helping her put her seatbelt on. Drying his own eyes, he got into the driver's seat and put on his seat belt. Knowing what CD was in her player, he skipped to track 7, and let Time and Confusion play.

"I love you, Emma. That session didn't change that at all. Please listen to these lyrics, they're all true. I hold it all when I hold you, Em. And I'll love you forever. You're strong, you're beautiful, and you're my girlfriend. None of those things changed today. I know you're upset, but please don't be. I love you so much, Emma. It didn't change. I'll keep saying that until I'm blue in the face, and I'll mean it more and more each time I say it. You're everything to me, Emma."

"Can I stay at your house tonight, please?" she asked, as a fragile, crying girl. "I don't want to sleep alone. I want your arms around me. You make me feel safe. Everything is okay as long as you're there, Peter."

"Of course you can, you never even have to ask. I'm always here for you, Emma. You're a strong girl. Just because you were hurt though, it doesn't mean you shouldn't bleed. You need to let your feelings out, don't keep them from me again, please. I love you, I won't think differently, Emma, not ever."

"I'll tell you from now on, baby. Thank you. I love you." Emma said, before putting her seat back and closing her eyes, letting the music take her to another world, and enjoying the car ride to Peter's house, so glad that she had him in her life. "I love you." She whispered silently, just loud enough for Peter to hear, before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
